'Lot of credit to the guys, they bowled very well in tandem, kept the pressure and never made it easier for the Sri Lanka batsmen. We just ensured we applied pressure from both ends.'
South Africa have slipped to number six in the world, behind fifth-placed Sri Lanka, and have a host of questions to answer, not least around a brittle top six and the balance of the side.
A 22 year old took the honours on Day 3.
The Sri Lankan selectors, on Sunday, dropped batsman Kusal Mendis from their 15-member squad while Angelo Mathews returned to lead the side in the upcoming tour of India.
Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis scored centuries as Sri Lanka crushed the West Indies by 161 runs in the second One-Day International in Hambantota on Wednesday to clinch the series. Chasing 346 for victory, the West Indies were bowled out for 184 in 39.1 overs, wrist spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan taking three wickets each.
India beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second Test in Nagpur after the touring side were bundled out for 166 shortly after lunch on the fourth day.
After resuming on 384-4, the hosts declared their first innings closed after lunch. Kurtis Patterson, in just his second Test innings, was unbeaten on 114 after posting his maiden century and captain Tim Paine was 45 not out.
Dom Bess claimed five wickets as England dismissed hosts Sri Lanka for 135
Seamer Wiaan Mulder, brought belatedly into the home attack, took three wickets in 11 balls to see Sri Lanka slump to 80-4, after which Nortje bagged regular victims to complete a second test five-wicket haul.
Du Plessis also put on a record seventh wicket stand against Sri Lanka of 133 with Keshav Maharaj (73), who went to his highest Test score before he was the last batsman out.
Dimuth Karunaratne's second Test century lifted Sri Lanka to 272 for eight against Pakistan after Yasir Shah exposed their frailties against leg-spin on the opening day of the series-deciding third and final Test in Pallekele on Friday.
Paceman Mohammed Shami struck twice as India closed in on a massive win on day three of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.
Images from Friday's World Cup match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Chester-le-Street.
Sri Lanka all-rounder Angelo Mathews was on Wednesday dropped from their limited-overs squad to face England next month, two days after the country's cricket board asked him to relinquish his captaincy in the shorter formats of the game.
Dinesh Chandimal-led Sri Lankan squad,on Wednesday arrived for their six-week tour of India, which starts here with the first of the three-Test series, beginning on November 16.
Four batsmen scored half-centuries to take Sri Lanka to 411 for six on Day 1 of their two-day warm-up against Board President's XI in Kolkata.
Sri Lanka openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva safely guided their side to 84 without loss in their second innings at the close of the second day's play in the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday after being forced to follow-on.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continued to be the best-placed Indians in the batting chart, while off-spinner Ravichandra Ashwin held on to second spot among bowlers in the latest ICC Test Player ranking, release on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka named a 16-member team for the upcoming Test series against India with uncapped 23-year-old fast bowler Vishwa Fernando the only fresh face picked by the national selectors.
Half centuries from Colin de Grandhomme and B J Watling gave New Zealand a first-innings lead of 138 against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the second and final Test in Colombo on Sunday.
Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath took five wickets for the second time in the match as they moved to the brink of victory on the fourth day of the second and final test against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Mathews has taken 253 balls on his way to what he hopes will be a 10th Test century and first in over a year
Sri Lankan cricketers resumed training as they begun their 12-day Residential Training Camp in Colombo on Monday, returning to action after a gap of nearly two and half months following the coronavirus pandemic. After England and West Indies, Sri Lanka became the third cricket playing nation and the first Asian country to resume players training after coronavirus enforced break.
The hosts, chasing a mammoth 550 for a win, only managed 245 runs before their second innings folded in the final session of the penultimate day after Dimuth Karunaratne had been dismissed for 97.
Australia opener David Warner became the fifth batsman at the World Cup to get an unexpected reprieve after he dragged a ball on to his stump but the impact failed to dislodge the zing bails in Sunday's match against India.
South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal has been included in the 16-man squad for the second Test of the three-match series against India which begins on Thursday after recovering from illness.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne frustrated West Indies with a patient unbeaten century to help Sri Lanka reach 250-2 on the opening day and stay on course for a big first innings total in the first Test at Galle on Wednesday.
Ajinkya Rahane has signed for Hampshire in the English County Championship. He will feature in matches throughout May, June and the start of July, subject to visa clearance. He becomes the first overseas player from India to sign for the county.
Root said that spinning tracks will throw challenges to the visiting team but they are adapting to the conditions quickly.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed five wickets as Sri Lanka took control of the second and final test against Zimbabwe on day three on Tuesday. The touring side reached the close on 102 for four in their second innings, a lead of 334 runs, after Herath, who opened the bowling, bagged his 27th test five-wicket haul with figures of 5-89. Dimuth Karunaratne (54 not out) and Asela Gunaratne (six not out), who scored a maiden test century in the first innings, will resume on Wednesday as Sri Lanka seek to set a massive target after bowling Zimbabwe out for 272. Seamer Carl Mumba (3-31) was the pick of the home bowlers supported by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer (1-21).
England moved towards victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka whose batsmen showed sufficient resolve on Sunday to push the game into a fourth day if not affect a result that still seems inevitable.
Pakistan's cricket authorities remained on tenterhooks on Thursday awaiting word from Cricket Sri Lanka on the upcoming ODI and T20 Internationals series.
SLC said in a statement that it had received the warning from the Prime Minister's Office.
Sri Lanka will be sending middle order batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage and spinner Tharindu Kaushal as cover for the injured players ahead of the team's final round robin World Cup game against Scotland, scheduled to be played on March 11.
Factbox on World Cup match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval.
The problem with non-selection of an Indian player in the XI is more to do with lack of matches rather than poor show since they have won both the series that they played in 2021.
Kusal Mendis remained unbeaten on 166 and combined in a fourth-wicket partnership of 196 with Asela Gunaratne to put Sri Lanka on course for a big first innings total against Bangladesh on the first day of the opening Test at Galle on Tuesday.
New Zealand were bowled out for 249 in the first session but Sri Lanka struggled to get going during Patel's spells and finished on 227-7, trailing by 22 runs.
After a decade as Test nomads, Pakistan were unsure how to exploit their home advantage.
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